How to Do Alternate Heel Touches

Alternate Heel Touches is a core exercise using bodyweight, listed as beginner in the A90 Training Club catalogue.

Primary muscle

Core

Equipment

Bodyweight

Difficulty

Beginner

01 / Move with control

How to perform

How to do Alternate Heel Touches

  1. 01Lie flat on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor at hip-width.
  2. 02Lift your head and shoulders slightly off the mat to engage your upper abdominals.
  3. 03Reach your right hand toward your right heel by flexing your torso to the side.
  4. 04Return to the centre and immediately repeat the movement on the left side.
  5. 05Maintain a constant height with your shoulders and keep your lower back pressed into the floor.

Same guidance shown inside the A90 app

02 / Anatomy

Muscles worked by Alternate Heel Touches

Primary Stabiliser Inactive

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Primary movers

  • Core Stabilises the spine and transfers force.

Stabilisers

  • Lower back Stabilises the spine during lifts and bends.
  • Forearms Grips and stabilises the wrist under load.

03 / A90 Coach

A90 Coach tip

Focus on lateral flexion of the spine rather than just moving your arms to engage the obliques properly.

Same coaching engine used inside the A90 app

05 / FAQ

Alternate Heel Touches questions

What muscles does Alternate Heel Touches work?

Alternate Heel Touches is catalogued as a core exercise in A90 Training Club, with the core as its primary muscle group.

How do you do Alternate Heel Touches correctly?

Lie flat on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor at hip-width. Lift your head and shoulders slightly off the mat to engage your upper abdominals. Reach your right hand toward your right heel by flexing your torso to the side. Return to the centre and immediately repeat the movement on the left side. Maintain a constant height with your shoulders and keep your lower back pressed into the floor.

What is the A90 coach tip for Alternate Heel Touches?

Focus on lateral flexion of the spine rather than just moving your arms to engage the obliques properly.

Is Alternate Heel Touches suitable for beginners?

Alternate Heel Touches is rated beginner in the A90 Training Club catalogue.

Do you need equipment for Alternate Heel Touches?

No. Alternate Heel Touches is listed as a bodyweight movement in the A90 catalogue, so you can train it with no kit.

A90 Intelligence

Put this into a real plan.

A90 Intelligence programmes alternate heel touches into a 30, 60 or 90 day plan built around your equipment, then adjusts it as you train.

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